As the medal round heats up in Milan, we're in for an electrifying day of semifinal action. First up, it's Canada versus Finland in what some are dubbing the "Flyers Bowl," as Philadelphia teammates Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen go head-to-head for a shot at the gold medal game. Later, the local fans will be on the edge of their seats as Team USA takes on Slovakia, aiming to match their women's team's golden achievement.
Pregame Highlights
The American women's team clinched the gold yesterday, setting a high bar for the men's team to follow. Meanwhile, Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk is honing his skills with the main squad, and Matvei Michkov is being urged to finish the season on a high note.
Canada vs. Finland
This clash of titans promises to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams narrowly escaped their quarterfinals, with Canada needing overtime and finishing with a modest four goals, while Finland also required extra time, netting three. The Canadians face a significant challenge with the absence of Sidney Crosby, who was ruled out after an injury scare.
Here's how the teams are expected to line up:
Canada:
- Forwards: Celebrini - McDavid - Wilson, Horvat - MacKinnon - Jarvis, Marner - Suzuki - Stone, Marchand - Bennett - Hagel
- Defense: Toews - Makar, Harley - Parayko, Sanheim - Doughty
- Goalies: Binnington (Thompson)
Finland:
- Forwards: Lehkonen - Aho - Rantanen, Granlund - Hintz - Teräväinen, Luostarinen - Lundell - Kakko, Tolvanen - Haula - Armia
- Defense: Lindell - Heiskanen, Mikkola - Ristolainen, Määttä - Matinpalo
- Goalies: Lankinen (Korpisalo)
USA vs. Slovakia
The day's action wraps up with the Americans taking on Slovakia. Slovakia enters with momentum after a dominant 6-2 victory over Germany, but the U.S. team is a formidable opponent, eager to reignite their high-octane offense.
Despite a tough quarterfinal against Sweden, where they were held to just two goals, the Americans prevailed in overtime. Expect them to come out firing, determined to showcase their scoring prowess.
Projected lineups are as follows:
USA:
- Forwards: Guentzel-Matthews-Boldy, B Tkachuk-Eichel-M Tkachuk, J Hughes-Larkin-Thompson, Miller-Nelson-Trocheck
- Defense: Q Hughes-McAvoy, Slavin-Faber, Sanderson-Werenski
- Goalies: Hellebuyck (Oettinger)
Slovakia:
- Forwards: Slafkovsky - Ruzicka - Tatar, Kelemen - Pospisil - Regenda, Okuliar - Dvorsky - Hudacek, Liska - Sukel - Takac
- Defense: Fehervary - Nemec, Gernat - Cernak, Marincin - Ceresnak
- Goalies: Hlavaj (Skorvanek)
With so much on the line, today's games are set to deliver drama and excitement. Stay tuned as these powerhouse teams battle for a chance to play for gold.